NiGHTS Return of the Dream re-write
by mewtwofangirl
Summary: a fixed version of my NiGHTS fic, since i found it mary sue upon rereading it. Takes place after JoD. A Dreamer named Lorelei stumbles into the Night Dimension after almost nine years of Dreamless Sleep. She meets NiGHTS, and it seems she has been to the Night Dimension before, though she can't remember. So, NiGHTS volunteers to help her regain her memories.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_"You have failed me yet again. Give me one good reason not to kill you and deal with the traitor and the Gate Holder myself."_

_"Forgive me, Master. I shall not fail you again, I swear it."_

_"….You have said that before. However, I shall indeed give you one final chance to prove yourself. But this time, you shall do things my way. You must follow my instructions to the letter, lest you fail me once more."_

_"Yes, Master."_

_"I want you to go to the surface, let them believe you are on their side. The girl now enters the World of Dreamless Sleep when she slumbers, but she will return. And over time, as will her memories. Let her and the traitor think you, too have betrayed me. Get them to trust you somehow. When the time is right, bring her down here and I myself shall finish what you blundered all those years ago."_

_"Forgive me for being so insolent Master, but how shall I gain their trust?"_

_"He will not be too difficult to sway, but she won't be as trusting because she will no doubt be afraid of you. We are not without a few 'tricks' so to speak. We have one ally in the Waking World who is willing to see the Gate Holder suffer. You ought to know of whom I speak. Now go. And as I said, this is your last chance. Do NOT fail me again, should you forfeit your existence."_

_"Yes…Master Wizeman." _

**(a/n: sorry the prologue is so short. The first chapter will be longer, I promise.)**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Man…I had the weirdest dream last night." the girl with shoulder length black hair narrowed her lime green eyes in annoyance at her sister.

"Oh sure, rub it in, Katie." the girl with short choppy black hair laughed at the annoyed look her twin was giving her.

"Come on, Lorelei, don't give me that look. It's not my fault you can't dream. What was so bad about that nightmare you had, anyway?" she asked. Lorelei looked down.

"I told you before, something was chasing me, I can't remember the rest. All I remember is waking up screaming, I was so scared." she said. Katie sighed.

"Yeah…I remember that part too." she said. Lorelei smiled apologetically and pulled a box of Cocoa Puffs and two bowls out of the kitchen cupboard.

"Again, it's not like I meant to wake you up that night. Geez. So, any idea where Mom and Dad are? They're usually out here by this time." she said. Katie looked at the clock then back at her sister.

"Mom is over at Aunt Gina's and Dad is at work." she explained.

"So we're walking to school, I take it?" Lorelei said somewhat reluctantly.

"Come on, it's not that far. Suck it up, lazy bones." Katie teased.

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**(Lorelei's PoV)**

"_In a dream I could see_

_You are not far away._"

I stopped and turned around. Other students were passing through the hall, but none of them were singing. Was I hearing things or something? I sighed and shook my head in disregard and kept walking. I couldn't be late for class on my first day of high school.

"_Any time, any place._

_I can see your face._

_You're that special one_

_That I've been waiting for._

_And I hope you're looking for someone like me."_

Seriously, who the heck was singing? Well…whoever it was had a good set of pipes, I'd give them that. But where was it coming from, and why couldn't anyone else hear it, too? Sighing, I looked around to make sure I was unnoticed by the rest of the student body. When I was certain I was being ignored by everyone else, I began singing softly along with the mystery person. Loud enough for only myself to hear, of course.

"In my dreams

I can hear you calling me.

In the night,

Everything's so sweet.

In your eyes

I feel there's so much inside."

Funny, somehow….this song…..this strange duet with the unseen person…it reminded me of something. I felt as though I heard the song before.

_"In the nights, dream delight;_

_I want to see you standing there."_

"In the nights, dream delight;

I found someone who really cares"

"_In the nights, dream delight_

_I want to see you smile again_"

"In the nights, dream delight

You're the one I've waited for"

A few people were glancing, but no one said anything. And to be honest, I didn't care. I wanted to keep singing, so I did.

"In a dream we can do

Everything we want to.

There's no where I'd rather be

But here with you.

The stars above light the way

Only for you and I.

I'm so glad I found the one

I've been looking for."

_"Keep the dream"_

"Keep the dream"

_"Of the one you're hoping for_

_Love can come through an open door._

_Just be strong."_

"Just be strong."

"…Lorelei…" Katie's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I couldn't hear the mystery voice singing anymore.

"Uhm…wh-what?" I stammered. Katie laughed.

"You've got a great voice and all, but you should really pay attention to where you're going. You almost passed your first class." she said, pointing behind me. I winced in embarrassment.

"Right…thanks."

"No prob. See you at lunch."

"Kay."

All during class, I couldn't concentrate. I kept thinking about that song….and the voice that was singing it. It seemed like I'd heard both of them before, but I didn't know where or when. There was this….this bittersweet feeling of nostalgia I could neither shake nor place.

**(NiGHTS' PoV)**

I stopped singing. Someone else had been singing with me. At first I figured it had been a Dreamer. But when the girl stopped singing, I did too. And when I looked around, there was no one at the Dream Gate but me. I gave a somewhat bitter laugh. There had been no Visitors to the Dream Gate for some time now. Of course, it didn't really surprise me. I was sort of used to it by now, but it would have been nice to have someone to play and go on adventures with, like back with Clair and Elliot, and Will and Helen. Of course, both of those times, the Night Dimension was in danger. Looking down at my purple form reflected in the fountain, I sighed. The Dream World had gotten to be so boring!

"….Nngh….N-NiGHTS….h-help me….p-please…" I gasped and turned around.

"You?!"

**(Lorelei's PoV)**

I absentmindedly hummed the song from before as I ate my lunch. At first, Katie just gave me a few annoyed looks and ate in silence, but after a certain point, she couldn't keep her mouth shut about how much I was annoying her.

"Lori, could you please stop humming to yourself? It's driving me crazy…" she grumbled, taking a bite of her sandwich. I exhaled and picked at my salad with my fork.

"Sorry, Katie. I just…well….no, never mind." I said, shaking my head. She didn't take relationships seriously, why would she take me seriously?

"What's up, Sis? Something bugging you?" she asked. I shook my head.

"Like I said, forget it." I said. She kicked me lightly under the table.

"Ow!"

"Don't give me that, Lorelei. You can't lie to a lying expert. Tell me what's up." she pressed. I glared up at her for kicking me and rolled my eyes.

"You really wanna know?" she nodded and I continued.

"That song I was singing earlier….it felt like I'd heard it before. A long time ago. I just…I don't remember where I heard it or who taught it to me. I feel bad for it though, because it seems like I've forgotten someone or something important." I explained. And…cue the mocking….

"Well….maybe….just maybe you really did forget something important. I'm sure you'll remember eventually, as long as you try. Just….don't go trying too hard, unless you wanna give yourself a migraine." Katie replied. I was surprised. Sure, when she said the migraine thing there was a little teasing in her voice, but other than that…it sounded like she was actually giving me advice.

"You…you really think so?" I asked. She shrugged.

"You know what they say, Lori. Only time will tell." she replied, taking a drink out of her water bottle. I took a bite of my lunch and mulled this over. She kind of had a point. But seriously, why couldn't I remember where I heard the song before?

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**(Reg. PoV)**

The purple jester being sighed and looked down at the red and black creature of his kind, laying in his bed.

"Reala…" upon hearing his name, the black and red jester looked up at the purple one.

"What is it, NiGHTS?" he asked. NiGHTS sighed.

"What….that is….how…. Err…what exactly happened?" he asked with some difficulty.

"…You're wondering how I'm still alive and how and why I'm on your side…or if I'm even telling the truth?" Reala asked. NiGHTS nodded and Reala propped himself up on his elbows.

"After our last encounter….unfortunately…Wizeman was not destroyed; not completely. Most of him was, true enough….but as long as there are fears in the Waking World, so too shall Wizeman exist. He is weak, but he will not stay so for long. I am unsure how I am still alive. It is possible he felt as though he still had use of me, but I finally see for myself how blind and ignorant my loyalty to him was." he said. NiGHTS seemed skeptical, but nodded.

"I'm glad you're finally on my side. After all….we are more or less brothers, right?" Reala nodded and NiGHTS smiled.

"Well…welcome to the Maren life. Hey…I um….hate to be a bother, but….do you know how we can beat Wizeman if he comes after us?" he asked, his smile fading into a troubled expression. Reala laid back down and looked up at the ceiling.

"Well…it's difficult to say. We'll be difficult for him to locate since I'm not wearing my Persona, which is a start. I have a theory. Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be able to seek the help of the person we need…and I am to blame." NiGHTS was confused.

"Who are you talking about, Reala?" he asked. Reala sighed and took something out of one of the pockets inside his vest and handed it to NiGHTS. It was a small bamboo pan flute decorated in beads and feathers.

"…..I see….Well…you know what they say, gone but not lost….or was it lost but not gone? Anyway, before you called out to me, I was singing Dreams Dreams, and I heard someone singing along with me." Reala arched an eyebrow.

"And you think it could have been that particular Dreamer?" he asked skeptically. NiGHTS frowned slightly.

"Well….maybe. I'm not really sure to be honest. I suppose it could have been anyone, but…"

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"Lori, come on, stop beating yourself up over this. I told you not to try too hard to remember whatever it is you forgot about!" Katie scolded. Lorelei ignored her twin and flipped through her dream journal in frustration.

"Gah! Why did I even keep this stupid thing?! I was like, six! I should've known that I wouldn't be able to read my own handwriting from back then!" she growled, slamming the book shut and throwing it across the bedroom. Giving a groan of exasperation, she flopped down on her bed.

"This sucks…." she muttered. Katie sighed and sat down on her own bed. Turning on her laptop so she could complete her essay, she said,

"Like I said, stop trying so hard and don't rush things. You'll remember if you just be patient." she said. Lorelei scoffed.

"Easy for you to say…." she muttered. Katie ignored her.

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"NiGHTS, I swear, I am going to kill you if you don't shut up."

NiGHTS pouted at his 'brother'.

"But Reala! I'm so bored! You said you were feeling better! Won't you come flying with me?" Reala glared at NiGHTS in irritation.

"Not on your life. I've got things I want to do tonight. Why not go back to the Dream Gate and cause mischief with a Visitor?" he snapped.

". . . .I don't think there will be any Visitors, Reala. There haven't been for almost a year now. Maybe. . .no one dreams anymore." NiGHTS said quietly. Reala nearly choked on his tea.

"What? NiGHTS, don't be foolish! We wouldn't be here unless people dreamed! Tell you what, go to the Gate, see if there's a Visitor there. If not, then I'll go with you on one of your silly adventures." NiGHTs nodded and took off flying towards the Dream Gate.

_{PLEASE let there be a Visitor….}_ both he and Reala thought hopefully.

**(Lorelei's PoV)**

I looked around at the strange, yet beautiful….and somehow familiar place. Where was I? Was I…was I really dreaming?

"Where...where am I?" I murmured, looking around. There was a gate leading out into pitch black nothing. And in the middle of the area I was standing in, there was a big fountain. Looking past it, I could see a small pond and a forest like area.

"Hoo! Welcome, Visitor, to the Dream Gate." I jumped in slight surprise and turned to see an owl hovering next to me. Did that owl just talk? Well….if I am dreaming, I guess there's no reason why I should be surprised, right?

". . .The. . .Dream Gate?" I asked. The owl nodded.

"Hoo! That's right. The place Visitors from the Waking World. . .such as yourself, come when they sleep. I am Owl." I backed away slightly.

"Uhm...err..."

"Hello, there!"

"WHAH!" I cried out in surprise and stumbled backward into the fountain.

**(NiGHTS' PoV)**

I burst into laughter.

"My, aren't you a klutz!" I teased. The girl with the long raven hair glared up at me, her light green eyes burning angrily.

"You jerk! Don't sneak up on people! You'll never change!" she snapped. I blinked in surprise at the last sentence, and so did she.

"Do I. . .know you?" I asked.

**(Lorelei's PoV)**

I blinked in surprise. 'You'll never change?' Why in the world did I say that?

"Do I...know you?" the purple jester asked. I shook my head in confusion.

"I. . .I don't know. You seem familiar, but. . .I think I would remember someone like you,

wouldn't I?" the jester shrugged.

"Not sure. But it doesn't matter. Want to Duelize?" I stepped back.

"Duelize? What's that? And anyway, I don't even know your name!"

**(Reg. PoV)**

The jester bowed.

"My name is NiGHTS. And you are...?"

"Lorelei."

"Well, Lorelei, Duelizing is when we become one person, and fly together. Of course, only one of us can control the body at a time, but don't worry. I'll walk you through it. It'll be a lot more fun than talking to this old bird all night. What do you say? Care to give it a try?" Lorelei looked at NiGHTS' outstretched hand doubtfully.

". . .Well, I don't know. Is it safe?" NiGHTS smirked teasingly.

"What, you're scared?" he asked. Lorelei scowled.

"I am NOT scared." she said, touching her hand to his.

"So what do you think?" she heard NiGHTS ask.

_**"I think this is amazing, NiGHTS! I. . .I never thought I would be able to experience something like this. I feel so. . ."**_

"Free?" NiGHTS asked, smirking. Lorelei nodded and NiGHTS continued.

"Well if you like flying, you'll love where I'm about to take you."

"NiGHTS, no! she isn't ready, don't take her up so high!" Owl scolded. NiGHTS sighed and rolled his dark blue eyes.

"Fine…"

_**"Aww…."**_ Lorelei said with a slight pout as NiGHTS landed. After de-duelizing with her, he smiled.

"Don't worry. There're other things we can do to pass the time until it's time for you to wake up. Want to go exploring? Who knows what we'll find?" he said optimistically. Lorelei thought a moment. She didn't know this guy (or was it a girl?... now that she thought about it….), and she didn't know what he (or she?) was like. On the other hand, she hadn't had a dream in so long, and she really did want to enjoy it while it lasted.

"Well…sure. Alright. But uh….first….I hope I don't offend you by asking this, but uh…." she trailed off, unsure of how to go about her question. Knowing what she was trying to say, NiGHTS giggled.

"Oh wow. I haven't heard that question in some time. Most people give up wondering and assume one thing or the other. I know I may seem a bit…feminine, but right now I'm a boy." Lorelei blinked in confusion.

"What do you mean right now?" she asked.

"Well, I'm technically "genderless"." NiGHTS explained, using air quotes, " I can be whichever gender the dreamer is or wants me to be. If you want me to be a girl, I can be a girl, but if you prefer me as I am, then I'll stay a boy. Which would you be more comfortable with?"

"Honestly….I'd rather you stay as you are. My experiences with other girls…my own sister included sometimes….have not been the most pleasant. All my friends back at my old school were guys." Lorelei replied. NiGHTS sighed in relief.

"That's kind of a relief. Usually, I check out which gender the Visitor is and change mine accordingly, but this time, I was so eager to see if there WERE any Visitors tonight that I forgot. And let me tell ya, sometimes being a girl isn't very fun for me, especially when Reala's around…he teases me about it every time it's just us..." he said. Lorelei blinked.

"Reala?"

"He's my brother….sort of. It's kind of a long story."

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**(Katie's PoV)**

I smiled to myself as I pulled back my comforter and crawled into bed. Lori was talking in her sleep. It was inaudible, but it meant only one thing: She was finally dreaming again. I wasn't a hundred percent sure why she stopped dreaming when we were little, but I was glad that whatever the problem was, she'd gotten past it. Closing my eyes, I laid down.

_~"Kate…."~ _Upon the deep, creepy voice saying my name, my eyes shot open and I sat up. I looked around. No creepy shadows or silhouettes, so I knew the house wasn't haunted. And nothing supernatural could be heard saying the word "Kate" in the Paranormal Activities movies, so I knew my parents weren't watching any of those in their room. Shaking off my paranoia, I laid back down.

_~"Kate…."~ _Sitting up again, I shakily reached up and turned on my lamp. Lorelei was still sound asleep, and no one was in the room with us. Hmm….

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**(Lorelei's PoV)**

We re-Duelized and had explored almost all of the Dream Gate before NiGHTS stopped in the clearing in the woods and we de-Duelized again.

"What's up?" I asked. NiGHTS plopped down in the grass and I did the same.

"Nothing, really. I just wanted to rest a minute, is all. I guess it's been too long since I Duelized with someone. I'm a little out of practice." he replied with a laugh. I laughed softly and laid back. Closing my eyes, I started humming the song I'd heard at school this afternoon. NiGHTS seemed surprised.

"That song…." I opened my eyes and turned to him.

"You know it?" I asked. NiGHTS nodded.

"Know it? ….Lorelei….you said you don't think you know me….and you've never been here before. Are you really sure?" he asked. I thought a moment.

"Well….it's possible, I guess, but….I don't…I don't think that I have. I mean, it's been so long since I had a dream…" I mumbled. NiGHTS blinked at me in surprise.

"You haven't dreamed in a long time? How long?" he asked. I sat up and shrugged.

"About….about nine years." I replied disinterestedly. NiGHTS stood up.

"I've got to go do something really quick. I'll be right back, okay?" he said, turning to me. I wasn't sure what was up, but I nodded all the same and he flew off. Was it something I said that made him want to fly off like that?

**(Reg. PoV)**

I'm telling you, Reala! It's true! This girl…Lorelei…first she said something that suggested that we'd met before even though she says we haven't, then she was humming Dreams Dreams. Only someone who'd been a Visitor here before would have ever heard it." NiGHTS insisted. Reala scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"NiGHTS, I highly doubt that-"

"Well think about her name! Her full name is Lorelei, so don't you think it's possible her nickname could be Lori?" NiGHTS interrupted insistently. Reala sighed in defeat.

"Well….there's only one way to find out it would seem. Show her that flute. If she is who you think she is, it's quite possible seeing her flute will trigger at least a small memory, if nothing else." he said.

"Got it. You'll see Reala. It's really her." he said, flying off. When NiGHTS was gone, Reala took a golden mask out of his vest and placed it over his eyes.

**(Lorelei's PoV)**

I paced back and forth. How long was NiGHTS gone? What was it he had to do that was so important?

"Lorelei, I'm back!" I turned and crossed my arms at NiGHTS as he flew over to me.

"Took you long enough. So what was it you had to do anyway?" I asked. NiGHTS took something out of his sleeve.

"I had to go get something. This is yours, isn't it?" he asked, holding it out. I let him place the object in my hand and examined it. It looked like a bamboo pan flute. It was decorated with a few dark blue and purple glass beads and small black feathers.

"….I thought I lost this when I was little. How…how did you end up with it?" I asked in confusion.

"Sometimes…when Dreamers come here, they imagine some of their items into the dream with them such as dolls, wooden swords, and as you can see by your pan flute, musical instruments. And sometimes, if the Visitor doesn't have the item in their hand when they wake up, it gets left here."

"So…what you're saying is…" I trailed off and NiGHTS nodded.

"You've been here before." he said.

**(mewtwofangirl: And that concludes the Chapter 1 re-write. So what do you think so far? **

**NiGHTS: Well….**

**mewtwofangirl: When I said that, I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to the readers. **

**NiGHTS: So? I'm throwing in my two cents anyway. I think it needs a little more drama, like SongBird88's work. Which, she's moved to DeviantART for those of you SongBird88 fic fans who didn't know. ^_^**

**mewtwofangirl: Okay, first of all, this is only the first chapter….second counting the prologue, and secondly-**

**Lorelei: Come on you two, don't start... -_-;; *to the readers* ^^; Sorry about them. . . Um… feel free to review!**

**mewtwofangirl: Hey, that's my line!)**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**(Lorelei's PoV)**

My body went numb. There was no way I could have been here before, no way! Then again…how else would I explain how I felt this weird sense of nostalgia and familiarity when I saw this place, and NiGHTS? Maybe this place had something to do with whatever it was I had forgotten. I mean, it did make sense, right? Sighing, I sat down on a nearby log.

"Okay, say you're right and I've been here before. How come I can't remember?" I asked. NiGHTS thought a moment.

"Hmm…well….it's likely that something happened to make you suppress those memories. Maybe it was when…yes, that's got to be it." he said, snapping his fingers. I crossed my arms.

"Care to share your thoughts with the rest of the class?"

"Huh? Oh! Well….the last time you were here…Reala was evil, and he was ordered to capture you and take your Ideya. He tried to hurt you, and….well….now that I think about it, I suppose it's his fault you suppressed your memories of the Dream World. You didn't want to remember him, and unfortunately, you locked all your good memories of the Night Dimension away along with the bad." NiGHTS explained. I exhaled. It was nice to know that my feelings of familiarity with this place weren't misplaced and all, but it still bothered me that I didn't know how to make those suppressed memories resurface, or if I could.

"Is there any way for me to get my memories back?" I asked, trying to sound more curious than worried. NiGHTS crossed his arms and looked up at the sky.

"Well, to be honest, I don't know for sure. Even without my Persona, I can kind of sense that you don't have all of your Ideya."

"Um….what's a Persona and what are Ideya?" I asked, not bothering to hide the fact that he had lost me a little after the word "Persona". NiGHTS giggled slightly and I pouted.

"Sorry, Lorelei. I guess I should have told you, huh? All Dreamers have Ideya. It's what makes up a Dreamer's heart. There are five. Courage, Intelligence, Growth, Hope, and Light. Although…some Visitors end up losing all or most of their Ideya on their way here. The Nightmares feed on them. But…I think you still have at least one of yours. Mind if I take a look?" he asked, pulling a mask out of his sleeve.

"What is that?"

"It's my Persona. It's a mask that allows me to see your Ideya, and some Personas give me special powers."

"…..Well, go ahead and take a look, but if what you said is true, I don't know if you'll actually find any Ideya." I said. NiGHTS put the mask over his eyes a moment, then removed it.

"Well….you've still got your Ideya of Hope, but….like I thought, the rest is gone."

"….." When NiGHTS saw the look on my face, he put his Persona away and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey now, why the sad face? I said it was gone, silly. Not lost forever. I'm sure if we can get a door to Nightopia to open, we can get your Ideya back." I sighed and looked up at him.

"Okay, first of all, what is Nightopia? Second, how can you be so sure that going there will help us get my Ideya back?" I asked.

"Well…."

**(Reg. PoV)**

The cloaked figure watched the creature that looked like him conversing with the girl. Though he couldn't hear what was being said by the other jester creature, he knew it must be important, because the ebon haired girl was listening intently. He wanted to get closer, but he was afraid. He was confused as to where he was…and what he was. When he had woken up in the dark place, he was alone.

"Excuse me, are you quite alright?" The cloaked creature jumped and turned to see an owl hovering next to him.

"….N-no…I-I mean y-yes! I-I mean…err….well….I-I don't know…." he replied to the animal sadly, turning away.

"What's the matter, Lad?" the owl asked.

"…I don't know what I am or why I exist. I don't even have a name. When I woke up, I was alone, and it was dark. I somehow made it up here, and….well…when I ran into some little creatures on the way here, they got scared of me and fled. I didn't want to scare anyone else, so I hid my face. How come the girl over there isn't scared of that person? He's like me…" the owl blinked.

"Hoo! Like you, you say? Would you mind removing your hood, Lad?" he asked. The cloaked figure nodded and pulled down his hood, revealing a jester like head with black and light grey "horns", pale skin, and silver eyes. Around his forehead he wore a dark green bandana. His clothes were identical to NiGHTS', only black and white with a dark green gem on the chest, and hanging from his golden collar was what looked like a small mirror.

"Well, I'll be…it seems that Wizeman isn't as weak as Reala originally thought, if he is able to create new Nightmaren…" the owl said. The young Nightmaren blinked.

"Night…maren? What's that?" he asked.

"Well….you see…" the owl began hesitantly.

**(Lorelei's PoV)**

After NiGHTS explained about some of the things that had happened with some other Dreamers that had come to the World of Dreams, I took the liberty of pointing out to him the creature that looked like him that was talking to Owl. When he suddenly rushed over there, I wished I hadn't said anything. Sighing, I ran over there after him.

"NiGHTS, wait up!" I called.

"You! Who are you?!" He demanded, glaring at the other….whatever they were. The other one held up his hands in defense.

"I'm….well…..um….I'm…." he stammered.

"It's quite alright, NiGHTS. As far as I can tell, he's harmless. The poor lad has no name, and it seems he isn't even aware of what he is or why he's here." Owl said. NiGHTS blinked and turned to him.

"No name? Really? Hmm…well, I suppose we can't have a Maren with no name, can we? Let's see….how about….hmm…Lorelei, what do you think?" NiGHTS and the unnamed 'Maren' as NiGHTS called him both turned and looked at me.

"You're asking me to give him a name?" NiGHTS nodded and I sighed.

"Well…alright. Give me a minute to think….how about….Mirage?" I said. NiGHTS turned to look at the other Maren, who nodded.

"Mirage…I like it. So, uh…NiGHTS and Lorelei, was it? What were you two talking about? It looked important." he said. NiGHTS and I exchanged glances.

"Well…it's kind of a long story, Mirage." I said.

"We've got to go into Lorelei's Nightopia somehow and get back the Ideya she's missing."

"Ideya?" Mirage asked. NiGHTS smacked his forehead.

"Okay…clearly you're going to need someone to explain to you how the Night Dimension works…." he said.

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**(Katie's PoV)**

I had gotten up to use the bathroom and when I got back into bed, I heard Lori talk in her sleep.

"NiGHTS…" I turned to look at her. NiGHTS? I knew that name. I'm sure at one point in their lives, a lot of kids did.

_{She must be dreaming in the Night Dimension, then.}_ I thought.

Every Dreamer has their own Night Dimension, and in that dimension there's a different NiGHTS, and pretty much every other being in that place. Sometimes there's a few extras or a few less, depending on the Dreamer. At least, that's what the NiGHTS in my Dream World told me before. And all of the Night Dimensions have one thing in common: they're all separated into three different parts. Nightopia, Nightmare, and the place between the two called the Dream Gate. How did I know this? Well…each Dreamer has their own Night Dimension when they sleep at one point and time, at least.

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**(Mirage's PoV)**

"So do you get it now?" NiGHTS asked me. I nodded.

"I think so." I said.

"Well just to be sure, how about a little quiz? First, what is Ideya?"

"The five Ideya of Courage, Intelligence, Hope, Light, and Growth are what make up a Dreamer's heart."

"And what is a Dreamer?" I turned to Lorelei.

"A Dreamer is a Visitor to the Night Dimension. With each Dreamer, a new Night Dimension is created. And along with it, another one of each being in the Night Dimension, with some exceptions, depending on the Dreamer's heart."

"You're doing good so far. Now how about Nightopia and Nightmare?"

"Nightopia is a world created by the Dreamers' hearts. Each Nightopia is different depending on the Dreamer. But Nightmare…no matter which Night Dimension it's in, is still a Dark place full of cruel beings that prey on Dreamers. Sometimes Dreamers end up there, and they lose their Ideya. Some of them though, can escape to this world, the Dream Gate in between Nightopia and Nightmare." I recited. NiGHTS and Lorelei nodded and I sighed in relief. After a moment, I said.

"Hey, there's one thing you forgot to tell me. What exactly is a Maren?" Lorelei turned to NiGHTS.

"I've kind of been wondering that, too. You called yourself a Maren, but you explained the difference between Nightmaren and Nightopians. Where exactly do Maren like you two come into the picture?" she asked. NiGHTS looked up at the sky.

"That's an easy one, you two. Maren….like you and me, Mirage…and possibly Reala….are all creatures who used to be Nightmaren, but turned against our creator Wizeman and left Nightmare. Basically, we're Nightmaren that aren't evil like the rest. Originally, it was only me, so I decided to come up with a new name for what I was." he explained.

**(Lorelei's PoV)**

_{So….when a Nightmaren becomes good (seems like a really rare occurrence), they become referred to as Maren. I get it now.}_ I thought. In all honesty, I'd wanted to ask NiGHTS about it earlier, but he's just so hyper I didn't get the chance to. So I guess it's kind of a good thing Mirage showed up. Haha.

As NiGHTS and Mirage talked, I looked around the fountain area of the Dream Gate, and while doing so, I spotted something different.

"Hey NiGHTS, what's that door?" I asked. NiGHTS looked where I was pointing, and he began to get excited again.

"Ooh! That's a door to your Nightopia! Come on, you two! Let's go explore!" He said, dashing off. Mirage turned to me.

"Is he….always like this?" he asked me. I sighed and shrugged.

"Apparently. Come on, let's go try to catch up with him." I said. Mirage nodded, and our walking pace turned to a run.

"NiGHTS! Wait for us!"

**(mewtwofangirl: That's it for chapter 2. I know it was shorted than chapter 1 but- ….. *sigh* Excuse me a moment, Reala is giving me a death glare. *to Reala* What?!**

**Reala: Why, may I ask, was I not in this chapter?**

**mewtwofangirl: Don't question my plot, or so help me-**

**NiGHTS: *as Reala and the author are arguing* ^^; I think what she was going to say before is that Chapter 3 is going to be quite a bit longer. Stay tuned, okay? ^_^) **


	4. Chapter 3

**(Reg. PoV)**

Lorelei gasped in awe.

There was a white marble path leading to a large castle, all but the doors and windows were adorned in red roses. In the center of the walkway there was a fountain, and aligning each tier was a ring of rose shaped rubies. In the spaces between the paths on the walkway were white rose bushes.

"It's amazing." she murmured. NiGHTS elbowed her playfully.

"Come on, are you just going to stand there gawking or are we going to go inside?" he teased. Lorelei snapped out of her daze and frowned at him.

"What, a girl can't take in the scenery?" she remarked back. Mirage rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well…you could, but remember what else NiGHTS told us about?" Lorelei smacked her forehead in annoyance and realization.

"Right….the Awakeners. I forgot about them. Is that what those hourglasses outside the castle entrance are for?" she asked. NiGHTS nodded.

"That's right. Come on, let's go explore the Rose Castle before it becomes morning in the Waking World." he said.

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**(? PoV)**

I knew better than to question Master Wizeman's orders, but why me of all the Nightmaren? I mean, come on! He had to have a more serious underling better suited for the job than me. Sure it was fun messing with NiGHTS, but it got kinda old after a while… (sigh) oh well. Orders are orders, and anyone who questioned Master Wizeman would be…

I shuddered at the thought.

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**(Lorelei's PoV)**

I stopped searching through the books in the library a moment and looked around. It was weird…it felt like I was being watched, but there was no one in the room but me, as far as I could tell. NiGHTS was checking the bedrooms in the east wing, and Mirage was investigating the ball room and the store rooms. Shaking it off as probable paranoia, I turned my attention back to the book shelves, examining each and every book for clues in finding my Ideya, and hopefully my forgotten memories.

After a while, I got exasperated, and upon re-shelving the book I was currently holding, I froze. Footsteps. Panicked, I wheeled around to see who was in the room with me. Was it a Nightmaren?!

…No. No one was there. But I noticed that on the coffee table between the two pure white Victorian style loveseats was a book that I hadn't set there. When I walked over and examined it, I saw that it was a poetry book, and it was different from all the other books in the library. Not just because it was the only book of poems there, but edges of the pages were dusted with gold, and the cover itself was pure white with a teardrop shaped sapphire on the spine, and a large oval diamond on the cover. Out of what I figured would later turn out to be poorly judged curiosity, I opened it to the first page.

"_Mother Night, to thee I serenade_

_For you deliver me from daylight's cold, un-sympathizing façade._

_And into your world of dreams and fantasies you keep me,_

_Until the chill of dawn once again must break._

_Into the world of dreams I drift,_

_Never the world of day do I miss,_

_Dreams are the salvation; the sweet but short lived sanctuary _

_In which I hide from the darkness of the world of day._"

I stopped reading there. There was more, but the rest of it was in three different languages- Russian, Japanese kanji, and some other language I'd never seen. It looked like a mix of Elvish from Lord of the Rings, and something else completely. Sighing, I closed the book and tucked it under my arm. Maybe I should go find NiGHTS and see if he could make sense of what little I was able to read or at least translate the other languages.

**(Reala's PoV)**

I didn't want the Dreamer to see me, so I swiftly hid after placing the poetry book on the coffee table. She had read the first few verses of the first poem aloud, but then she stopped. I had forgotten that some of the contents of that book were in mixed languages; including the written language of Nightopia. And it seemed that other than English, the Dreamer wasn't familiar with any of these languages. If I was lucky, she would be enticed enough by what little she had read that she would go to NiGHTS for a translation of the rest of that first poem.

**(Lorelei's PoV)**

I examined one of the bookshelves and removed a book that had caught my eye. The cover itself was nothing special, plain dark brown leather. But what was written on the front and spine of the cover was what caught my eye.

**"Legends and History of the Night Dimension"**

Could this help me find the answers I was looking for? Exhaling nervously, I opened it and read the first page.

_It is said that long ago, Lunisca, the legendary goddess of Dreams created the Night Dimension, and within it, three worlds. Nightopia, Nightmare, and the Dream Gate, the world __between__ Nightopia and Nightmare. However, what was originally one Night Dimension turned into many. With each Dreamer, there was a new World of Dreams, and another parallel self of each of the Night Dimension's inhabitants. Among these was the Dream Guide; the Guardian for the Dreamers who found their way to the Dream Gate, the Nightopians, and of course…Wizeman, the evil Keeper of Nightmare._

Wow. So…if Katie, or any of our friends or cousins had found their way to the Night Dimension, I'd never run into them here because each Dreamer has their own Night Dimension? That was interesting information. My curiosity enticed, I continued reading.

_In each Night Dimension dwells three types of beings. First, is the Nightopians-a small, playful race some may think resembles baby dolls. The second is the terrifying Nightmaren, the creations of Wizeman that feed on the Ideya of Dreamers and the helpless little Nightopians. And the third is a fairly new race known as Maren. These are beings that were once Nightmaren, but turned against Wizeman and put themselves into a class of their own. So far, the only Marens known are NiGHTS, an adventerous and somewhat mischievous being; and of course, the Five Guardians of the Gate Holder._

Wow. This was getting really interesting. Unfortunately, it was also raising more questions. Who were the Five Guardians of the Gate Holder? More importantly, who was the Gate Holder? It seemed like a vaguely familiar topic, but like everything else Night Dimension-related, I couldn't remember what I knew on the subject; if anything. Sighing, I read on.

_The Five Guardians represent the Five Ideya. Courage, Growth, Hope, Light, and Intelligence. They were created by the Goddess of Dreams to protect the Gate Holder, a Dreamer who, once trained by his/her Guardians, will be able to move about the Dream and Waking Worlds at will, whether he/she is asleep or not. What allows the Gate Holder to do so is the mysterious Sixth and Seventh Ideya that sleep within his/her heart. The Guardian that represents these Sixth and Seventh Ideya has yet to be found. It is said that once, the Gate Holder mysteriously disappeared one night, as did the Five known Guardians. None know where the Gate Holder and the Guardians are now. _

As I skimmed through the pages, the book explained that each Dreamer has one Nightopia for each of his/her Ideya, and only by having their Ideya can they open a door to their Nightopia. There was also mention of Nightopia reflecting what is in a Dreamer's heart, and information about the Awakeners, the Nightopians and Nightmaren, and other things, but nothing more was mentioned about the Gate Holder or the Seven Guardians. It was a shame; I was hoping to find out what the sixth and seventh Ideya were. Exhaling, I closed the book and tucked it under my arm with the book of poems. I'd found quite a bit, considering I'd only been in here a short time. Picking up a satchel I saw laying on one of the loveseats, I slipped the books into it and swung it around my shoulder. I'd have to show the books to NiGHTS and see if he could tell me any more about what was written in either of them.

Speaking of NiGHTS, I wonder how he and Mirage are doing on their ends?

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**(mewtwofangirl: And that concludes chapter 3 ^^**

**Lorelei: WHAT?! What happened to it being longer?! o**

**mewtwofangirl: XD Gotcha! *laughing histerically* You REALLY thought I'd end it THERE?! You are such a sucker!**

**Lorelei: …. . I hate you SO much…**

**mewtwofangirl: Okay, seriously, on with the story… Pfft...*stifles more laughing*)**

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**(Mirage's PoV)**

I hadn't managed to find anything in the ball room or anywhere else on the inside of the castle that I checked, so I decided to look around outside. As I circled around the roof, I spotted something shiny behind the bricks of one of the smaller towers. Curiously, I floated down to get a better look. As I peeked inside the hole, I saw what looked like a small marble box with stained glass on the sides and diamonds on the lid. Could this be a clue to recovering Lorelei's Ideya? Struck with sudden and unexplainable determination, I pulled the loose bricks out of place and picked up the box. Getting a better look, I saw that it had a star shaped lock on the front.

When I got it down to the ground, I tried hitting it with a rock, pulling on it, and even picking the lock, but no matter what I did, the lock refused to relent. Sighing, I just tucked it under my arm. When in doubt, look for a key, right?

**(NiGHTS' PoV)**

I scratched my head, a somewhat agrivated expression on my face. I couldn't find anything here that could jog Lorelei's memory…or help her find her Ideya. I hoped she and Mirage were having better luck. Let's see…there had to be at least one room I hadn't checked? It had been so long since I'd been here, I'd sort of forgotten how many rooms were in the Rose Castle. …Of course! I could search the three secret rooms! All I had to do was figure out where the passages were. I knew where one was hidden. Let's see…um…which way was the library, again?

**(Lorelei's PoV)**

A sudden sense of slight paranoia, I stopped a moment to look at one of the hourglasses in the hall. Oh no! My time here for the night was going to be up soon! If I was going to rendevous with NiGHTS and Mirage, I had to do so FAST, because the Awakeners would come for me in about five minutes.

"NiGHTS! Mirage! Where are you guys?! We're running out of time for the night! NiGHTS, I think I found something! NiGHTS, Mirage!" I called.

"NiGHTS is off in one of the secret rooms and Mirage is outside. They can't hear you, Dreamer." I gasped quietly. That voice…there was something almost….haunting about it. Exhaling nervously, I slowly turned around.

**(Reg. PoV)**

Upon hearing Lorelei's deafening scream of terror, NiGHTS and Mirage both rushed in the direction they had heard it, once they reached her, NiGHTS glared, while Mirage took on a defensive stance.

"Reala! I thought you said you were going to stay out of sight of her until I could introduce you to her myself back at the dream gate! Geez, so much for helping in secrecy…" he said scoldingly. Reala scoffed and crossed his arms. Looking away, he said,

"For your information, I was staying out of sight, but you two were no where nearby and she had found something. I figured she ought to tell someone before her time here for the night was up." as he spoke, he nodded towards a nearby hourglass, which told the group that there was only about a minute before Lorelei was to be fetched by the Awakeners. When he turned back towards Lorelei, she backed away from him and hid behind NiGHTS, who turned and put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"It's alright, Lorelei. I know Reala looks intimidating, but he's a Maren now." Lorelei shook her head.

"I don't believe that, NiGHTS! Something about him doesn't feel right…." she said. NiGHTS tugged her bangs playfully.

"Don't worry. I won't let him hurt you even if it is more than paranoia and remnants of bad memories that you're feeling. But enough about that, what did you find?" he asked. Lorelei shook off her fear and looked up at him.

"I found a couple of books in the library."

"One of which I took from it's hiding place for you." Reala interjected indignantly. NiGHTS gave him a look and turned back to Lorelei.

"Ignore him and go on. What were the books?" He asked. Lorelei took the books and held them out to NiGHTS.

**(Lorelei's PoV)**

Before NiGHTS could say anything, a blinding white light emanated from a few feet away in the hall. The light was hurting my eyes, so I had to shield them until it faded, revealing three little white creatures.

"Hey, NiGHTS, is that the Awakeners?" I asked. NiGHTS nodded.

"Yeah. Looks like your time is up. We'll wait for you at the Dream Gate. Don't stay up too late tomorrow night, though! We don't want to be kept waiting for ages!" he called to me as the Awakeners lifted me away.

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"Lori…"

"….."

"Lori, come on. We don't want to be late for school. It's time to wake up." yawning, I turned to face my sister and she stopped shaking me.

"Morning." I said groggily. She smiled at my and tugged playfully at my bangs the way NiGHTS had last night when he was trying to get my mind off….off that thing that was there with us.

"So, sleepy head, did you have a nice dream?" Katie asked me. I smiled and stretched, then groaned in annoyance when she grabbed my arms and pulled me so I was sitting up.

"I guess. I mean, it was all fine and good until I woke up." I said, moving to flop back down. Unfortunately, Katie wouldn't allow it.

"Don't even think about it, Lori. If I gotta get up and go to school, you do too. Come on, let's go." she said, pulling me out of bed.

"Okay, okay! I'm up already, so let go of me!" I huffed, pulling out of her grip. She laughed.

"What's so funny?" I demanded, crossing my arms and pouting. She laughed again.

"You are! Hahaha! If you could have your way, you'd sleep until noon so you could run around with NiGHTS, getting into all kinds of mischief!" she said. I blinked at her in surprise.

"You…know NiGHTS?" I asked. Wait, why was I so astonished? If I had a Night Dimension of my own, there was no reason Katie couldn't/wouldn't have one too, right?

"Well…yes and no. See, I don't know if you know this, but each Dreamer has their own Night Dimension, and-" I cut her off and finished her sentence.

"And with each Night Dimension, there's another NiGHTS, Nightopia, Nightmare, Dream Gate, etc. Yeah, I get the gist of it." I said.

"Good. Less work for me to have to explain how things work. So have you Duelized with NiGHTS in your Dream World yet?" she asked me excitedly. I rubbed the back of my neck.

"Well….yes and no. Thanks to Owl's nagging, we didn't get quite through the first lesson. But I'm sure if I can get back there tonight, and if I ask him nicely, NiGHTS will consider giving it another try. So…what'd you do in your Dream World last night?" I asked. Katie shrugged.

"Eh. Nothing exciting really. NiGHTS and I Duelized and flew around a while, then we returned to the Dream Gate and I went and checked on my Nightopian Garden." she said. I blinked. What?

"What's a….Nightopian Garden?" I asked. She blinked at me in surprise.

"You didn't know? So….NiGHTS didn't even practice the Paraloop with you? Geez, the NiGHTS in your Dream World is even more of a slacker than usual. Okay, here's the gist of it. NiGHTS…and I think all Nightmaren/Maren that are like him have a special move called the Paraloop. You'll see it eventually, but basically, when it gets used. Using her Paraloop, NiGHTS can transport Nightopians into a special little Garden area, where they can live free and safe from Nightmaren."

"HER Paraloop? So. . .the NiGHTS in your world is a girl? Wait…how come when I spoke to the NiGHTS in my Dream, he said; and I quote, "Well, I'm technically "genderless". I can be whichever the Dreamer is or wants me to be."? He said it like he was the only NiGHTS, but I read…and you just tried to tell me again that there's another NiGHTS for each Dream World created by a Dreamer's heart? Gah! I'm confused!" I said, sitting back down on my bed with a flop and pinching the bridge of my nose. Katie stifled a laugh.

"That's a little hard to explain, but I guess I can try my best. Hmm….okay, let's see if I can word this without confusing you even more here….oh! I got it. Okay, basically there's a Mirror World connecting all the Dream Worlds. None of the NiGHTS' can see or hear each other, but they know how this stuff works. If a Dreamer dies, their Dream World and all in it stop existing all together, but if the Dreamer just stops going to the Night Dimension they created when they sleep, the NiGHTS of that world sometimes goes into the Mirror; which sort of looks like the Dream Gate…and he/she/whatever looks around for another Dream World that needs a NiGHTS to inhabit it. Do you understand or do I need to simplify it?" I sighed.

"My brain hurts, but I get what you're saying. For whatever reason, a new NiGHTS isn't created for EVERY new World if there's a NiGHTS in the Mirror thing from an abandoned world, and NiGHTS probably saw me in our world and went back to it instead of setting up shop somewhere else, right?" I summarized. Katie nodded.

"That's right. You do realize the readers aren't gonna read any of that part though, right?"

"What?"

"I said you're right, that's basically what most likely happened. Now come on, let's get ready for school already." she repeated, throwing my uniform at me.

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**(Katie's PoV)**

I sighed and glanced over at Lori. She was listening to the teacher for the most part and taking down notes, but I could tell something was up with her. Of course….she wasn't the only one who was bothered by something. I kept finding myself wandering back to that creepy voice that called out to me last night. I recognized it after thinking on it, but…I didn't want to believe that it was who I thought it was. After all, as far as my world went, there was no way in h-e-l-l that it could be him. He was defeated. Nightmare was completely empty now. At least… I really wanted to believe that was the case.

**(Lorelei's PoV)**

I tried as hard as I could to concentrate on my school work, but my mind kept wandering back to the stuff I read…and to the fear I felt when I saw Reala. …Why was I so afraid of him? NiGHTS said something about repressed memories, but….what exactly happened that could make me so skeptical of the Maren NiGHTS called his brother? Even though NiGHTS even said that Reala attacked me when I was here last, I couldn't remember it, and NiGHTS said Reala had become a Maren….there was something still sinister about him, I could feel it. Or….or was I just imagining things….?

To be honest, I couldn't really tell if it was intuition or paranoia I was feeling. All I did know was one thing: Reala gave me the freaking creeps….

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**(Reg. PoV)**

As the two walked home that afternoon, Lorelei asked Katie something the other girl didn't quite expect.

"Katie…what exactly is your Dream World like? That is…what is the Reala there like?"

"Seriously, they're all practically the same in personality and you don't remember?" she asked. I shook my head and she sighed.

"In a word: EVIL. He's not there in mine now, but the Reala I knew was ruthless and cold blooded. And I don't know if the one in your world did the same, but the one in mine tried to turn me against NiGHTS by telling me she was a Nightmaren like him. I got scared of her and took off, and of course, she got captured again. After a pep talk from Owl though, I went and busted my bff out of the cage Reala put her in and apologized for getting scared. I mean, you and I may have been little kids back when this happened, but even I knew that if NiGHTS was evil and wanted to take my Ideya, she'd have done so right off. Reala was fiercely loyal to Wizeman, the ruler of Nightmare. After all, Wizeman did create him. He created NiGHTS too. But for some reason, I found out through the Goddess of Dreams herself…don't ask, long story….that in almost all of the Night Dimensions in existence, Reala and the other Nightmaren are loyal to Wizeman, but NiGHTS isn't. NiGHTS is practically a Nightopian." she explained.

"Maren. NiGHTS and other Nightmarens like him..err…her in your Night Dimension's case…are their own class of Dream Worlder now." I said. Katie blinked.

"Huh. Really? The NiGHTS in my Dream World never mentioned that to me. Maybe she's not as picky about that as the one in your world?" she said.

"Well maybe there're a few personality tweaks with the locals of each Night Dimension depending on who's Dream World it is." I guessed.

"Maybe. Anyway, why did you ask about Reala?" she asked me.

"Oh. Right. Well….you're not gonna believe this, but….supposedly….he's a Maren now in my world. That's what he told NiGHTS anyway." I replied.

"What?! Ugh, I swear guys are so dumb sometimes! Maybe the NiGHTS in your world would have more sense if he was a she…anyway, despite what NiGHTS believes and what Reala says, don't let your guard down around him, and do not let NiGHTS leave you alone with him no matter what! He can't be trusted." Katie said seriously. For a moment, I didn't say anything, I was mulling this over.

"Promise you won't let yourself be left alone with him." Katie pressed.

"I promise." I said. And believe it or not, I was determined…not just because Katie was my sister, but for my personal safety ….to keep that promise.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**(Lorelei's PoV)**

When I fell asleep, I found myself once again at the Dream Gate. And to my surprise, the door to the Rose Castle was still there. The question was, where were NiGHTS and the others?

"Guys?" I called. No answer, so I tried again.

"Guys, I'm back!" Again no answer. Then,

"Hoo! Welcome back, Visitor." I turned to face Owl.

"Hi, Owl. Thanks. Hey, I don't suppose you've seen NiGHTS or the others, have you?" I asked.

"Hoo! Why, as a matter of fact, I have. Come with me, I'll take you to them." he replied, flying towards the door to the Rose Castle. I sighed. Why didn't I guess they'd keep searching after I woke up?

When we got to the castle courtyard, I saw Mirage and Reala arguing about something, while NiGHTS was trying unsuccessfully to calm them down.

"Um…what's with these two, NiGHTS?" I asked. He sighed and turned to me.

"Hey, Lorelei. Well…Mirage found a box, but we can't get it open without the key, and these two are arguing about where the key could be hidden. Reala seems to think we won't be able to find it until we open another door to your Nightopia, but Mirage is trying to convince him that if that box he found may have one of your Ideya inside it, then we'll find the key here in the Rose Castle." he explained. I thought a moment and looked down at the box sitting on the edge of the fountain.

"Guys, enough." I said, loud enough to get their attention. Reala turned to me.

"Well, what do you think, Dreamer?" he asked me suddenly. I glared at him.

"Okay, the only one allowed to call me Dreamer or Visitor is Owl. I'd appreciate it if the rest of you would call me by my name. And to answer your question, _Reala_, I think that Mirage is right, even if there isn't Ideya in that box, it makes sense that the key would be here, too." I said, slight venom in my voice when I spoke his name. He sighed in irritation.

"Alright, past you can't even remember at the moment aside, what may I ask is your problem with me, Vis…_Lorelei_?" he demanded.

"….Let's just say when I woke up, I got a second opinion, and the person I spoke to told me a thing or two about the you in their Dream World." I replied coldly.

"Well let me just tell you that it can prove to be dangerous to make blind assumptions. Now, jumping back to the key, say Mirage is right and it is here. Do we have any ideas where it would most likely be?" Reala said, turning to NiGHTS.

"Well…Lorelei may not remember, but I do. She had it with her around her neck all the time, until the first time you chased her. I remember she came to me crying that you were after her, and that she had lost the key when she hid in the music room. So….I think it stands to reason that the music room is the best place to look for it." NiGHTS replied.

"Well, what're we waiting for? Shouldn't we go look for it?" Mirage asked. NiGHTS nodded.

Somehow, we ended up splitting up into two teams. Reala and Mirage went to check outside, NiGHTS and I went to the music room. While we were searching, NiGHTS managed to trigger a switch that opened a secret passage behind the fireplace.

"Whoa. What do you think is back there?" I asked. NiGHTS shook his head.

"No idea. But there's only one way to find out. You wait here, I'll go check it out." he said. I nodded, and when he was gone I continued looking around for anything that even resembled a key. All the while, I felt like someone was watching me, but I tried to shake it off as paranoia. After all, no one was there but me.

"Get a grip, Lorelei, you're imagining things. There's no one here but you..." I grumbled to myself.

"I wouldn't be too sure, Dreamer." I jumped and turned to see a jester like creature with black and orange horns pointing forward instead of flopped like NiGHTS, Reala, and Mirage's, and he wore a cape. What also made him different..was that he had no body, just hands, feet, and a head! Before him was a deck of cards.

"Who are you?" I asked, backing away. He smirked and it sent chills up my spine. I didn't like this…

"The name's Jackle. Go on, pick three cards! Any three card!" He said. I backed away even more.

"How come?" I asked.

"Cuz other than card games, fortune telling is my specialty, Dreamer. Don't you want to know what lies ahead for you?" he said, spreading the cards out into a circle in front of him.

". . . Well…." I started hesitantly.

"Come on, what's it going to hurt?" Jackle coaxed. I sighed. Well…I was a little curious…

"Alright. That one." I said, pointing at one. He separated it from the rest, but didn't flip it over for me to see.

"Now pick two more."

"This one." I pointed at the second card. Again, he separated it but didn't flip it.

"Last one, Dreamer." I pointed at the last card, and after separating it out, the other cards disappeared and he flipped over the three I selected.

First card….the Lovers. Suggests love, friendship, and partnership….

Second card…the Magician; reversed. Suggests deception or the need to be careful with whom I put my trust.

Third and final card…Death; reversed. Suggests possible loss of friendship.

"What does it mean?" I asked. Jackle smirked.

"Well, if I had to guess, I'd say you're gonna fall in love, but not all is as it seems to be. And that relationship is going to make you lose a close friend. But like I said, I'm only guessing."

"…Is there any way to change it?" I asked. Jackle's smirk widened and the cards vanished like the rest of the deck did.

"Well…there is one way. …..You'll have to die!" he said. After he spoke those words, cards flew out of his sleeves like throwing knives and in the process of moving out of the way, I was cut by some of them.

Wincing in pain, I tried to make it to the passage where NiGHTS had gone to find him and ask him for help, but Jackle increased the size of some of his cards and blocked my path.

"What do you want from me?!" I demanded, reaching for a poker on the rack above the fireplace. Jackle threw one of his cards and as it cut my hand, he cackled maniacally.

"The less blood you have, the weaker you are. The weaker you are, the less chance you have of escaping, Gate Holder! Hahahahaha!" I gasped and dodged more of his cards as they flew at my head. Me? The Gate Holder? No way!

"You're out of your mind!" I exclaimed, dodging another burst of bladed cards. Jackle grinned wildly.

"Thanks for the compliment, Sweetheart, but you're still coming with me to Master Wizeman!"

"Jackle!" the psychotic Nightmaren froze and turned when we heard Reala's voice. But soon, his terror turned to another psychotic smirk.

"Well…if it isn't Reala. Come to save your little girlfriend, I bet. You know, you were once a high ranking Nightmaren, but now you're all washed up! Beating you should be a breeze! Hahahaha!" Reala smirked coldly and walked over to where I was. Pushing me behind him and holding up a clawed hand, he said,

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, Jackle. You see, just because a chess piece is on the other side of the board, it doesn't change it's rank." he said. I gasped when a black flame appeared in his hand, making Jackle recoil.

"W-wait a minute….c-can't we talk about this? I-I mean, it's nothing personal or anything! I was just doing my job, I swear!" Reala glared.

"Right…nothing personal. You have a job to do, and unfortunately, I do as well. You shouldn't have so blindly assumed your powers could ever hold a candle to mine. Farewell." he said icily, releasing the flame. It engulfed Jackle in seconds, and his screams filled my ears and burned into my memory.

Trembling, I collapsed to my knees. I didn't know if it was because of all the blood I lost, or because I had just seen Reala kill without hesitation, but I felt really woozy. . .

"Dreamer!?" Reala's voice calling out to me was the last thing I heard before I blacked out.

When I came to some time later, my wounds were gone. Someone had healed me. As I sat up and turned to my left, I saw Reala sitting in a chair nearby, reading a book.

"….Were you the one who healed me?" I asked. Without looking up from his book, he responded with,

"What if I was?" I exhaled and ran my fingers through my hair.

"…Why'd you do it? Why didn't you just let him kill me or whatever?" I asked. Reala scoffed and closed the book he was reading. Looking up at me, he said,

"Believe me, I don't care one way or the other what happens to you, Dreamer. NiGHTS however, is not as indifferent, and if I let anything happen to you, I would never hear the end of it from him." he snapped. I scoffed and turned my head away. Cold hearted jerk…

Wait….how long had I been out, exactly?

"Speaking of which, where is NiGHTS? And Mirage too! Weren't we supposed to meet them somewhere?" I asked. I then gasped as the possibilities started listing in my mind.

"Wait, you don't think something could have happened to them?!" Reala sighed and picked up his book again.

"Calm down, Dreamer. I'm sure those two just got distracted. I'm not sure about that new Maren, but that seems to be one of NiGHTS' many flaws." I glared and stood up from the sofa Reala had laid me on.

"First of all, my name is Lorelei! Second, you're hardly one to talk about flaws!" I snapped. He then stood and looked straight into my eyes, his burning with anger.

"You know, you've got an odd way of showing gratitude to someone who just saved your life." He growled. My own glare didn't waver, even though I was starting to get worried about what Reala was really capable of.

"Well maybe I'm just not very trusting when it comes to certain people. After all, you know what they say. Once bitten, twice shy." Reala was about to make another remark, but a certain someone's voice caught his attention and mine.

"Alright you two, stop flirting." We both scoffed and turned to NiGHTS.

"As if! I'd rather jump off the cliff and into Nightmare than flirt with this jerk!" I said shortly, crossing my arms. Reala glared.

"The feeling is all too mutual. That aside NiGHTS, where have you been?" he demanded. NiGHTS rubbed the back of his neck and smiled apologetically.

"Well, there's a secret passage here in the music room. I thought maybe the key to that box might be down there, but…it wasn't." he said. Reala sighed in irritation.

"Well you certainly shouldn't have left her by herself. I had to come and protect her when Jackle came after her!"

"Jackle was here?!"

"Yes. He was. I already took care of him, no need to look so concerned."

"Okay, excuse me? Had to protect me? I could have dealt with him myself, thank you very much! I don't need a baby sitter!" Reala scoffed at me.

"I beg to differ."

"You know what-" It was then that NiGHTS stepped in and broke up our argument.

"Alright you two, let's not have a blood bath. ….Hey Lorelei, you never really got to Duelize with me, did you? Want to give it a go?" he asked, holding his hand out to me. I arched an eyebrow.

"We Duelized once. At the Dream Gate, remember?" NiGHTS smiled sheepishly.

"Well…yeah, but you never got to actually fly, did you?" he said. I sighed. He had a point. Owl thought NiGHTS was getting a little crazy with the flying and got all paranoid that something was going to go wrong, or whatever.

"True enough. Okay, you win. Let's go." I said, touching my hand to his.

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**(Katie's PoV)**

I couldn't sleep; for three reasons. One, I'd taken a nap earlier in my physics class. Two, I kept thinking back on that creepy voice calling my name. And three, I also kept thinking on what happened in my Dream World when I had fallen asleep in class. I couldn't shake the conversation NiGHTS and I had at the Dream Gate.

_"The Reala in my sister's Dream World alive, and he's claiming he's a changed Nightmaren. What do you think, NiGHTS?" I asked. NiGHTS laid on her back on the edge of the fountain and looked up at the sky._

_"Well…it's difficult to say. Honestly, I don't think she should be left alone with him at any time. And if he's alive, that must mean that the Wizeman in her world is alive, too. Even you can't let your guard down, Katie." she said. I cocked my head to the side._

_"What do you mean?" I asked. She sat up and turned to me, an unusually serious look on her face._

_"I mean that even if you've got your own Night Dimension here that's free of Wizeman, the one in her world could still have great powers, enough to reach out to you and try to use you to get at her." she warned me._

_"Do you really think we have that much to worry about? I mean, like I told you before, she's got the NiGHTS in her world to protect her, so…" NiGHTS scoffed and looked up at the sky._

_"But you also told me that he thinks Reala is telling the truth about being one of the good guys. And if he's anything like the one here was, he's only trying to gain their trust so he can pick the perfect time to strike. I swear, given the right circumstances, men are so gullible…" she muttered. I stifled a laugh._

_"Like we girls are any different. ….But still….what do you think the Wizeman in Lori's Dream World is planning? What does he want with her?" I asked. NiGHTS shook her head._

_"Sorry, but since this is a different Night Dimension than that one, I couldn't tell you." she replied. _

Even if she was different than the one in my sister's Night Dimension, if NiGHTS couldn't come up with a theory for what Wizeman was planning, then I knew things were serious. I just wished there was some way I could get into her Dream World and help her. Well….since she had a Dream World, that Dream World had a NiGHTS like all the others. So I guess all I could do was leave her protection while she slept up to him, right?

…Why did I have a bad feeling about this?

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**(Lorelei's PoV)**

We had flown up to the roof of the castle before we stopped to rest a minute.

"So…how're you liking it so far?" NiGHTS asked me. I smiled.

**_"I love it! I've never felt so….relaxed before." _**I replied. NiGHTS laughed.

"Well, that's one of the many perks of it. But I gotta say, your expression was pretty amusing when I taught you the Paraloop and the Drill Dash." he said. I laughed and stuck my tongue out him in jest.

**_"I'm still a little miffed that you didn't warn me first!" _**I said. The two of us laughed again before laying back.

**_"Hey NiGHTS?" _**I said after a moment.

"Hmm?"

**_"….Are you….are you sure? About Reala, I mean?" _**I asked. NiGHTS' face took on a serous expression and we sat up.

"Well….at first I wasn't quite sure. But….he did save you when Jackle showed up. I know Reala well enough to know that if he was still working for Wizeman, he'd have made his move when I was out of the room." he replied. I shook my head.

**_"Well….you could be right. But it seems more logical for him wait until we've all dropped our guard first." _**I theorized. NiGHTS thought on this for some time before speaking again.

"Well….in any case, he did save you. And instead of thanking him, you only fought with him more."

**_"Hey, he instigated it!" _**I said in my defense.

"All the same…I think we should at least give him a chance. …Don't give me that look. I admit I don't trust him completely even though I act like it, but at least I'm trying. You should do the same. It's not like I'm saying we should let our guards down." NiGHTS pressed. I sighed in defeat. Curse him and his persuasive nature….

**_"Fine. When we regroup with the others again, I'll drag Reala off to the side and talk to him." _**I said somewhat reluctantly. NiGHTS smiled gratefully.

"Thank you. Speaking of which, do you think we ought to head back now? The hour glasses are half empty already, you know." he said, pointing to the courtyard. I groaned.

**_"Man….why do the Awakeners get to choose what time I wake up?"_**

"Because if memory serves me correctly, tomorrow is a week day and you have school. And…you more than likely set an alarm, am I right?"

**_"…Unfortunately…yes. I did set my alarm."_**

"Well, let's not waste any more time. Come on." NiGHTS said, getting up.

**_"NiGHTS, hold up. Before we go down to the courtyard to rendezvous with Reala and Mirage, let's go check the music room again for that key. I…I just have a strange feeling we weren't looking in the right place before_**." I said. NiGHTS nodded.

"Sure. We have a few minutes to spare." he said.

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**(Reg. PoV)**

Once they reached the music room, NiGHTS and Lorelei de-Duelized.

"Over here." she said, walking over to the piano. NiGHTS gave her a confused look.

"We already checked the piano, didn't we?" he asked. Lorelei nodded and traced her finger along the intricately designed border beneath the piano keys until her hand felt what she was looking for. A switch. NiGHTS blinked in surprise when a drawer popped out of the spot where Lorelei's hand had been.

"Oh wow. I never knew there was a secret compartment there." he said. Lorelei smiled sheepishly and shrugged.

"Well….I didn't really know it was there either. I just kind of…felt it." she said, looking back down inside the drawer and removing the only item in it- a silver key adorned in stained glass and diamonds.

"Is this the key?" she asked, holding it up. NiGHTS nodded.

"That's it alright. Now let's go find out what's in that box!" he said excitedly.

**(Lorelei's PoV)**

NiGHTS had all but dragged me back to the courtyard, where Reala and Mirage were waiting, box in hand.

"You two are late." Reala snapped.

"Come on, don't be like that! We found the key!" NiGHTS said. Reala looked at me and I held it up.

"Well what're we waiting for then, let's get the box open!" Mirage said.

"Hold on." I said, handing the key to NiGHTS. "I gotta talk to Reala for a minute. Don't open the box without us." As I motioned for Reala to follow me, he seemed reluctant to do so.

"What do you want, Dreamer?" he asked when we were out of earshot of the others. I sighed. Between my pride and his cold demeanor, this was SO not gonna be easy…

"…Alright, look, I know you only saved me to keep NiGHTS from being mad at you or whatever, but…you were right. Despite the circumstances, I should have been a little more grateful to you for protecting me. So….thank you, Reala." I said, exhaling. Reala didn't seem to know how to react. I guess the whole 'doing something good and being shown gratitude for it' thing was a new concept to him, despite being offended earlier for my lack of gratitude. After a minute, he said,

"….Let's get back. I'm sure NiGHTS is dying to see what's in that infernal box." he said, floating past me. Wow. He didn't try to instigate another argument. Deciding I would follow him on that, I walked silently with him back over to where NiGHTS and Mirage were waiting.

"Alright, let's see what's in that box." I said, nodding at NiGHTS to open it. NiGHTS nodded back and excitedly inserted the key into the lock and turned. As he opened the lid, a white light shot out and flew towards the fountain. When the three of us turned around, the light took on another shape and faded to reveal a Maren with white and sky blue horns. His clothes were silver and turquoise Chinese style, save for the collar, which was kind of like NiGHTS, Reala, and Mirage's were. The violet gem on his chest was like the ones the others had, too.

"A Maren?" NiGHTS asked, cocking his head to the side. We all tensed when the white Maren opened his cherry blossom eyes and floated gracefully to the ground. Looking up at us, he said,

"I am Spirit, the Guardian of Growth." he said.

"A…Guardian?" I gasped.


End file.
